


A Recurrence of Endurance

by RosyPumpkin, ShadowoftheLamp



Series: Flowers Bloom With Love and Hard Work [2]
Category: Sonic the Hedgehog - All Media Types
Genre: College AU, M/M, OC, Original Character - Freeform, flower shop au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-30
Updated: 2016-12-30
Packaged: 2018-09-13 12:13:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,978
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9123103
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RosyPumpkin/pseuds/RosyPumpkin, https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShadowoftheLamp/pseuds/ShadowoftheLamp
Summary: That blue hedgehog sure does seem to stop in a lot. What a distraction.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I'm posting these in order timeline wise for now, but future pieces may be out of order. If you're ever confused, the timeline can be found here:
> 
> http://rosypumpkinstudios.tumblr.com/flowershoptimeline

Shadow huffed, blowing some quills out of his face. He couldn’t stop thinking about that stupid blue hedgehog. He knew it wouldn’t do him any good to think about it, he’d probably never see him again, but he couldn’t get those gorgeous emerald eyes out of his mind. Or that million dollar smile that made the bags under his eyes seem a little lighter. Or the shimmer of royal blue quills. Or that silly nickname “Sonic”. Or the way the hedgehog had so boldly showcased his ass for him to see. Shadow shook his head, rubbing at his eye, trying to erase the image from his mind. He’d never see it again, so why bother remembering it.

The door chime jingled, and Shadow sat up. 

“Hello, welcome to Dave’s Flowers, how can I-” 

Shadow stopped mid sentence. There was that blue hedgehog, same coat as the day before. 

“Hey! I need a flower for waking up today. What have you got that’s fresh?” 

Shadow cleared his throat, blinking, glancing at the clock. Five thirty PM exactly. Sonic flashed his teeth, white and bright as ever, and Shadow fought to form a coherent sentence. 

“Um, sure.” He coughed when his voice cracked, grimacing as the hedgehog only giggled. “I’ve got some daisies if you like.” 

“Perfect!” Sonic slapped a ten dollar bill down on the counter. “Gimme five.”

Shadow blinked again, processing. He slowly took the bill, transferring the change, snipping the daisies from their stems.

“Your change will be a four twenty-five. Anything else?”

“Hm, nah. Maybe tomorrow there will be though.” Sonic winked at him. Shadow bit his tongue, cocking a brow in surprise. He wrapped the daisies up in plastic, handing him the bouquet with a small packet. 

“Put the packet in the water to help them last longer. Enjoy.” 

Sonic’s dazzling smile blinded him once again. “Thanks buddy! Will do!” 

And with that, he left. Shadow blinked a few times, processing. Shadow scratched at his ear, slumping onto the counter, puzzled and and ready for yet another cup of coffee.

~*~ 

Shadow wasn’t anticipating anything. Not at all. As he checked the clock for the fifth time that minute, he told himself this. It was five twenty nine, and shadow was definitely not loitering by the door to see if that blue hedgehog would come. Certainly not. Almost the instant the clock ticked that beautiful azure hedgehog entered with as much grandeur as he did yesterday. Shadow was definitely not excited, or trying to keep his mouth even when he saw that big million dollar grin. Not at all. 

“Hello Sonic.” Shadow turned from the roses he’d been preening for the last hour. “How can I help you?” 

Sonic leaned against the shelf wall. “You remembered me! How sweet.” Sonic chuckled when Shadow rolled his eyes. “I’ve been brainwashed by the bees and they want me to bring them flowers.” 

Shadow stopped, turning to look at him, brows coming together in confusion. 

“You think I’m joking, but I’m serious. The Queen will have my head if I don’t bring her some flowers ASAP.”

“Huh.” Shadow set the rose pot he was working on down, shaking his head. It was better to just go with it. 

“I suppose we shouldn’t keep her majesty waiting then. How many?”

Sonic shrugged. “Let’s get twenty. That’ll keep them distracted long enough to escape their clutches.”

“Any particular flower?”

Sonic turned to the roses Shadow had been mindlessly preening, cupping one in his hand and bending to smell it. He inhaled, glancing at Shadow from the side and winking. 

“These will do.”

Shadow eyed him suspiciously. He couldn’t make out if Sonic was trying to be flirty or an idiot, but it seemed like a mix of both. Shadow pulled his scissors from his apron, snipping fresh roses from their stems. He took them to the cashier counter, wrapped them carefully so it would be easy to carry, and tired them with a silver ribbon. 

“That’ll be twenty dollars even.”

Sonic slapped two ten dollar bills onto the counter. Shadow took them gingerly and rang up the cash, handing them to Sonic when he was done. 

“Will that be all?” 

“Hmmmm.” Sonic tapped his foot, thinking. He pressed his nose into the roses again, looking up at Shadow with wide eyes and blushing cheeks. Shadow had to physically stop himself from clutching his chest at how irritatingly adorable this kid was. 

“Maybe tomorrow something else will come up. You can never tell with bees. See ya!” 

Sonic winked and pointed his finger guns at him before bolting out of the store. Shadow blinked, slowly sitting down. He glanced at the clock. It was five thirty five. Sonic always left as fast as he came, and it always left him just as flabbergasted as he was the day before. He rubbed at his temples, attempting to soothe the ache this hedgehog was giving him. He didn’t know how many visits his heart could take.

~*~

“What’s gotten into you today Shadow?” 

Shadow looked up to his manager, Marie. She was a beautiful black, elderly cat woman, wearing her usual garb of a blue shirt and a white frilly skirt. She usually stayed in the back unless it was busy, which today was not, so hearing her behind him startled the ebony hedgehog quite a bit. 

“Nothing.” He answered stupidly, “I’m just a bit tired, is all.” 

“Hm,” she leaned over the counter and watched him walk around the shop, eyeing him curiously. “Is that why you’ve been pacing around the shop pretending to water flowers?” 

Shadow stopped. It was true. He’d walk to a flower with a water can, set it down, feel the moisture in the dirt, pick up the can and walk somewhere else. He sighed in defeat, making his way to the cashier counter. 

“No.” 

“Then what’s up baby? You know you can tell me.” 

“I know.” He sighed, rubbing his eyes and checking the time again. The clock ticked, becoming five twenty nine PM. “There’s this kid who’s been coming in here recently.” 

Marie’s brow furrowed. “He’s not bothering you is he?”

Shadow paused. “I’m not sure. He’s overly enthusiastic, and he always buy’s something for a stupid occasion that he clearly made up.” 

She tapped her fingers along the counter. “What kind of occasions?”

“Yesterday he came in saying he needed a bouquet to appease the queen bee that had brainwashed him.” 

She snorted as she laughed. “Are you serious?” 

Shadow couldn’t help the small grin on his face, raising his hands in frustration. “Yes I’m serious! He comes in everyday at five thirty with some ridiculous request. He’s crazy.”

“What does he look like?”

“He’s-”

Shadow didn’t get to finish his answer, since the door swung open with a jingle. Shadow glanced at the clock. Five thirty on the dot. He turned and greeted the familiar blue hedgehog. 

“What’s the occasion today?” 

Sonic’s Colgate white fangs glimmered in the light. “I need some flowers for my toe’s birthday. It turned six today.” 

Shadow cocked a brow. “Your toe’s birthday?” 

“Toe years are much slower than Mobian years my friend.” He sauntered into the store like he owned the place, giving Shadow a thumbs up. “Can ya help me? He demands only the finest of tulips.” 

“Sure. How many does his royal toe-ness need?”

Sonic crouched down as low as he could, turning an ear to his shiny red shoes. Shadow folded one arm over himself and the other propped up on it, hiding his grin in his hand. Sonic’s face scrunched in concentration, ear flicking as if hearing something very quiet, lips puckered in a very intense duck face. To say he looked ridiculous was quite the understatement. Shadow glanced at his boss, who was also just barely containing her giggles.

“It’s kinda hard to hear through my shoes, but I think he said just one will do.” 

“Okay.” Shadow turned to the shelves, reaching for one of their many colored tulips. “What color for his nail-ness?” 

“The pinkest you can find. And hey, do ya think you could coat the petal tips in gold again? That was really cool last time.” 

When Shadow returned to the cashier counter, Marie was beat red and coughing, trying and failing not to laugh. Sonic leaned over the counter, one hand propping up his chin and the other drumming across the desk, smile sly and slick, watching Shadow. The ebony hedgehog wouldn’t have minded so much if those green eyes were watching him paint the flower, not actually watching him. He purposely avoided those eyes, knowing if he did he’d get lost in them again and make his boss laugh even harder, which he was sure was exactly what this blue idiot wanted. He pushed the tulips towards the fan to dry, punching Sonic’s order into the register and keeping his head down. 

“Will that be all?”

“Sure will!”

“Ten fifteen is your total.” 

Sonic slapped down fifteen dollars, cash. Shadow took it, handing him his change. To his surprise, Sonic turned right around and dropped all four dollars and eighty-five cents into the tip jar. 

“Thank you, Sonic.” Shadow said, finally meeting his eyes, ignoring his boss as she burst into another fit of giggles. He couldn’t help but steal a look as he handed him the flower. Their hands brushed, and Shadow hated the cliche tingling it left in his fingertips. He was sure Sonic noticed it flustered him, because that idiot couldn’t stop smiling at him. Shadow wanted to punch him. 

“Don’t mention it! You’re just, like, the best employee ever!” 

Shadow finally felt his cheeks heat up, squeezing the table in a mix of embarrassment, anger and the slightest bit of joy. His boss finally let out her laughter, holding her stomach. 

“You laugh, but seriously, he arranges the flowers, he makes sure they’re all healthy and beautiful, and he takes good care of me!” 

“He does, huh?” Marie managed to say, glancing sideways at her employee who sent back a glare that would make a normal man fear for his life. 

“Yeah! In fact, let me just-” Sonic fished out a twenty dollar bill, stuffing it into the tip box. “That’s for giving his royal majesty, the toe, the best service of his life.” 

Shadow hid his face in one hand, beet red, seriously debating on either punching those puffy, happy cheeks or slapping them. Shadow opened one eye, glaring at that stupid blue hedgehog who just grinned that stupid cocky grin and winked that stupid charming wink. 

“Thank you, sir. It’s very nice of you to say that.” Shadow said through gritted teeth.

“You’re welcome! Maybe tomorrow I’ll buy some flowers to celebrate your service.” 

Shadow finally let himself smile, and would have screamed as Sonic mumbled “there it is” if he weren’t working. Instead, he just wiped at his nose, wishing he could rub the red off his face. 

“Will there be anything else?”

“Nope. See ya tomorrow!” 

Sonic took the flower and dashed away without another word. Shadow sent daggers at his manager with his eyes, growling as she smiled at him. 

“That was cute.”

“That was that annoying hedgehog who comes in and buys flowers every freaking day.” 

“Whatever. You made us twenty four dollars in tips today. Keep it up and maybe he’ll give us more.” 

“Marie!” Shadow slapped the table, watching her run away cackling. “I should slap you!” 

“You know I’m right! He fancies you and you know it!”

Shadow huffed and let his forehead drop to the counter.

“He needs glasses then, because the flowers are obviously prettier than me.”

Marie eyed him on her way into the back room, her grin showcasing all its mischievous glory as he sat back up, rubbed at his eyes again and began wiping down the counter. 

“We’ll see about that.”


End file.
